Proceedings of the Standing Committee on
Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament

Issue 2 - Fourth Report of the Committee

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

The Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and the Rights of Parliament has the honour to present its

FOURTH REPORT

Following the entry into force of the revised Rules of the Senate on September 17, 2012, your committee has, pursuant to rule 12-7(2)(a), continued to consider the Rules and now recommends as follows:

1. That:

(a) rule 6-3 be amended by replacing subsection (1) by the following:

"Time limits for speakers

6-3. (1) Except as otherwise provided:

Leaders

(a) the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition shall be allowed unlimited time for debate; and the leader of any other recognized party shall be permitted up to 45 minutes for debate;

Sponsor of bill

(b) the sponsor of a bill, if not the Leader of the Government or the Leader of the Opposition, shall be allowed up to 45 minutes for debate at second and third reading;

Critic of bill

(c) the critic of a bill, if not the Leader of the Government or the Leader of the Opposition, shall be allowed up to 45 minutes for debate at second and third reading;

Others

(d) other Senators shall speak for no more than 15 minutes in debate.

EXCEPTIONS

Rule 2-5(1): Arguments

Rule 4-2(3): Senators' Statements limited to three minutes each

Rule 4-3(2): Tributes limited to three minutes each

Rule 4-3(4): Acknowledgements of tributes

Rule 6-2(2): Clarification in case of misunderstanding

Rule 6-5(1): Yielding to another Senator for debate

Rule 7-1(3): Question on agreement to allocate time put immediately

Rule 7-3(1)(f): Procedure for debate on motion to allocate time

Rule 8-3(3): Time limit for request for emergency debate

Rule 8-4(3): Speaking times

Rule 12-22(6): Debate on a tabled report

Rule 12-32(3)(d): Procedure in Committee of the Whole

Rule 13-7(3): Time limits on speaking on motion on case of privilege"; and

(b) Appendix I to the Rules be amended in the Definitions by adding in alphabetical order the following:

"Critic of a bill

The lead Senator responding to the sponsor of the bill. The critic is designated by the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Government (if the sponsor is not a government member) or the Leader or Deputy Leader of the Opposition (if the sponsor is a government member). While the critic is often the second Senator to speak to a bill this is not always the case. (Porte-parole d'un projet de loi)"; and

"Sponsor of a bill

The lead Senator speaking for a bill. In the case of a Government Bill, the sponsor will typically be a government member and will normally move the motions for second and third readings and speak first during debate. In the case of a non-Government Bill, the sponsor will introduce the bill if it originates in the Senate, guide it through the different stages, and usually appear as a witness in committee to speak in support of the bill. (Parrain d'un projet de loi)";

2. That rule 12-22 be amended by the addition of the new subsection (6) as follows:

"Debate on a tabled report

12-22. (6) If a motion to adopt a tabled report is moved only after consideration of the report has started, any Senator who spoke on the consideration of the report before the motion was moved may speak to the motion, but only for a maximum of five minutes."; and

3. That all cross references in the Rules, including the lists of exceptions, be updated accordingly.

Respectfully submitted,

VERNON WHITE

Chair